China Odyssey Tours Frequently Asked Questions(FAQs)
- What sort of vehicle do we travel in?
- How flexible are COT's itineraries?
- What time will we be picked up from our hotel each day?
- Can we get a tour guide who can speak our language?
- Do I need tour guides when traveling in China?
- Does the quotation you offer include tipping?
- How about a taxi in China?
- How can I know who will be my tour guide when I arrive at the airport or railway station?
- I have booked a private tour, but why bus transfers were provided during my tour?
- If we have lots of free time and don't want to stay in hotels, what can we do?
- Do I need to tip my tour guide and driver?
- Tell me something about your tour guides.
- What are the luggage regulations when we take domestic flights in China?
- What is the airport tax in China?
- Is your guide always at my service during the tour?
- What sort of vehicle do we travel in?
In every destination visited, your vehicle is air-conditioned, clean, and expertly maintained. Your private driver is licensed, insured, and very experienced. To maximize your comfort, we use vehicles with extra space for you and your luggage. Depending on how many are traveling together, we generally use sedans or minivans (7 seats) for 4 people or less, large vans or small coaches (12-22 seats) for 5-12 people, medium coaches (33 – 37 seats) for 13 – 25 people, and large coaches (45 seats over) for more than 25 people.
- How flexible are COT's itineraries?
1) You can change the itinerary (free of charge) before booking confirmation is made. We’re happy to make it suit you best.
2) Alterations after you have received your booking confirmation letter will incur a fee of $25.00 per request, and changes to the departure date or destination may incur cancellation fees. All changes are subject to availability and cannot be guaranteed.
3) China Odyssey Tours reserves the right to modify the itinerary of your tour if air schedule or surface transportation changes, and/or events beyond its control make such alterations necessary. In this event, any increase or reduction of the tour cost will be calculated and charged/ refunded accordingly. If it is you who requests the changes to your tour, then you will be required to pay any additional cost in advance. - What time will we be picked up from our hotel each day?
You should arrange this with your guide at the end of each day. Normally your tour starts at 8 or 9 am each day. When you need to catch early flights at an airport, the guide and driver will pick you up at whatever time is necessary to ensure that you are on time.
- Can we get a tour guide who can speak our language?
Most of our tour guides speak English which is the first foreign language in China, and we also have guides speaking other foreign languages such as German, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian and etc. When you book the tour, please let us know if you have special language requirements so that we can try to make arrangements to meet your need.
- Do I need tour guides when traveling in China?
If it is the first time for you to come and travel in China or the first time to visit new areas, we suggest that you have tour guides, because, without tour guides, you are on your own, while our guides are professional and experts in local areas, who can give you more information and knowledge about the places you are going to visit.
- Does the quotation you offer include tipping?
No, the quotation we offer does not include tipping as tipping is a personal matter.
- How about a taxi in China?
In most cities in China, there are quite a lot of taxis available, which are cars painted either red or yellow, or green. Taxi fares may vary from city to city but they are supposed to be marked on the taxi window, and the taxi drivers are supposed to use a taximeter when they get on the taxi.
Most taxi drivers do not understand English, so it is better for you to have your destinations written down in Chinese so that you can show the address to the taxi driver, and don't forget to ask for a receipt or remember the number of the taxi in case you leave something in the taxi. - How can I know who will be my tour guide when I arrive at the airport or railway station?
Our guide will meet you at arriving gate of each airport or railway station by holding a welcome board of China Odyssey Tours with your name on it. So it will be very easy for you to recognize our guide when you arrive.
- I have booked a private tour, but why bus transfers were provided during my tour?
"Private tour" indicates that you will have a private car/van/bus, guide, and driver at your service when sightseeing in each city or place. It does not include Private transportation between cities or places, instead, flights, trains, ships, or local buses for in-land transportation for either Group tours or Private tours will be used.
For example, if you take a Yangtze River Cruise from Chongqing to Yichang, then you may need to take a bus to Wuhan from Yichang. In Yichang and Wuhan, we can arrange private transfers (to get you from the boat and send you to the bus station in Yichang and to get you in the bus station and send you to the airport in Wuhan.) But the bus taking you from Yichang to Wuhan is a public bus with other passengers. - If we have lots of free time and don't want to stay in hotels, what can we do?
If you have lots of free time and don't want to stay in hotels, you can:
1) Get a map of the city or area and the card of the hotel and the mobile phone of your guide, go and explore the city or area by yourselves.
2) You can join in the optional tours offered by us and our tour guides in each city or area. - Do I need to tip my tour guide and driver?
In China, tipping is not commonly practiced but will be appreciated. Local tour guides and drivers expect your tipping as praise for their good service. The tip amount depends on how many members there are in your group. You can break the price equally. If you feel unsure about the exact tip amount, write to your travel consultant for help.
- Tell me something about your tour guides.
Our well-educated tour guides have no difficulty speaking fluent English and are ready to share their knowledgeable minds with yours. Friendly, experienced, and considerate, they are capable of assisting you to do a great China tour even under unexpected situations.
What are the luggage regulations for taking a domestic flight?
The luggage allowance for adult or children passengers is 40KG for first class, 30KG for business class, and 20KG for economy class. An infant with an infant ticket enjoys a luggage allowance of 10KG. The size requirement is 100cm*60cm*30cm maximum. Oversized and overweight luggage will be charged 1.5% of the adult economy far per extra KG of luggage. Sporting equipment is allowed to be checked if within the weight requirements and within 158 total linear dimensions.
Regulations on luggage may vary on combined transport services with different airlines. Confirm with your travel consultant before you set off.
- What is the airport tax in China??
An airport tax or airport construction fee on domestic flights is about 70 yuan within 800 km and 120 yuan beyond 800 km. Infants/Babies (having purchased a10% of the full-fare ticket) are exempt from airport tax. Children holding an international air ticket pay the same tax as adults. International Departure Tax (even flying to Hong Kong or Macau) is 90 yuan (about US$13). Since September 1st, 2004, the airport tax has been pre-charged with the air ticket, so our quotation will include the airport tax if the domestic flight booking is involved.
- Is your guide always at my service during the tour??
In general cases, our guide will escort you to board the train or see you off at the security checkpoint of the airport. The guide to the next destination will pick you up at the terminal exit. There are no worries about being alone. If you need an extra company in your free exploration outside the itinerary, we can make the arrangement for that - an extra expense is necessary as well.
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